Because water is so scarce in New Mexico, water rights are a complicated issue and one that farmers should know the basics about. Most farms/ranches get their water from either an acequia (ditch irrigation) or from a well. City or municipal water is generally cost prohibitive for farming, but it may be an option for urban farms with very careful resource management.
- This is a newspaper article that gives a basic history of water rights and a clear an concise explanation of how water rights work in the state.
- Anyone wanting to use water in New Mexico must have a permit from the Office of the State Engineer.
- This page has key water rights information from the Office of the State Engineer
Acequia Associations:
If you are or are planning to get water from an acequia (the centuries-old system of irrigation ditches throughout the state), it’s important to be involved with your local acequia governance body, most likely through the Mayordomo/a, who is the person that manages each local acequia system.
- NM Acequia Association: If you buy land with acequia rights, information should be provided about the local acequia association and contact info for your local Mayordomo/a. If you’re leasing land, the landowner should have that information. If not, contact the NM Acequia Association for more info.
- This is a great interview with Nery Martinez of Santa Cruz Farm about the basics of irrigation with the acequia.
- For farmers in Central New Mexico, this is a useful resource from the American Friends Service Committee about how to decleare water rights.
Water Rights Education
The Acequia Association offers workshops about water and water rights and can provide technical assistance to acequia farmers about water rights, irrigation and soil health.
Irrigation Installation
The system that is best for your farming operation depends on factors which include your irrigation goals, the crops you’re producing, ease of use, and your budget for setup, operation and maintenance. The three main types are surface, sprinkler, and microirrigation systems. Below are some resources that might be useful.
- NRCS guide to selecting an irrigation system for your farm.
- This is a guidebook for irrigation in NM focusing on the technical details of setting up and maintain various irrigation systems.
- This is a decent guide to irrigation and figuring out how much water you’ll need. Note, it is a document from Colorado, so some of the specifics may be different.
- This is an NMSU document that describes irrigation for pastures in NM.
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